I don't think everybody realizes that when they "pre-order" a product that doesn't actually exist yet on one of these sites that they are actually betting in a sort of online casino. We keep seeing posts that ask whether one of these prospective machines is "better" than one that's actually on the market; as if there was any way to tell from the promotional material on their solicitations. It's entirely fair to point out to them which prospective companies have a less-than-optimal chance of actually delivering on their promises; and far from indicating a hidden agenda, it seems more like a public service. While these sites do make some dreams come true, they are also tempting targets for fraudsters that never intend to deliver anything to anyone. The more it seems too good to be true, the less likely it is to lead to a viable product. Unfortunately, the current "race to the bottom" in 3D printer pricing favors the less realistic business plans, which is what DJBrowny was tryi9ng to point out.

Although the crowdfunding community is pretty vigilant about notifying people when it looks like someone's running a scam, they do happen. More common, though, are people simply being unrealistic about what they can do and how much it will cost. Here are some examples of both: http://www.businessinsider.com/3-kic...one-bad-2013-6 http://www.supercompressor.com/gear/...n-crowdfunding http://pando.com/2014/04/04/revealed...-medical-scam/ http://makezine.com/2013/08/02/crowdfunding-confusion/

Andrew Werby
www.computersculpture.com